Latch



' Dec 4, 1928. 1,693,912

W. E. WORTHEN I LATCH Patented Dec. 4, 192,8,

; UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WALTER E. WORTHEN, OF WESTIHOLLYWOOD; GAL IFORNIA.

LATCH.

Application filed u1 y 6,

My invention relates to and has for its,

purpose the provision of a latch for closures such as doors, casementwindows and the like, and which when in applied position s capable ofbeing operated to function as a latch, and what is commonly termed anight latch for doors. 7

It is also a purpose of my invention to provide a latch of the abovedescribed character which is extremely simple, inexpensive and durablein construction, readily applied to a closure and its frame and when inapplied position quickly convertible from a latch to a night latch, orvice versa.

' I will describe only one form oflatch embodying my invention and willthen point I out the novel features thereof in claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Figures1,'2, 3 and 4 are fragmentary vertical sectional views showingone form of latch embodying my invention in applied position to aclosure and its frame, the several views illustrating the severalpositions which the'invention is adapted to occupy;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure1;

' Figures 6 and 7 are views taken on the and the casing is securedwithin thepocket 4o 16 by flanges 18 through which screws 19 extend. Theframe of the, closure is indicated at 20 and the vertical edge of theframe is provided with a' pocket 21 spanned; by a keeper plate 22, thelatter beingformed with a vguide flange. 23 and a-slot'24: inclined withrespect to thevert-i'calas clearly illustrated in Figure 6.

J ournaled in the casing a bolt 26, the shaftbeing extended beyond thecasing and through a suitable opening in the closure 17 as clearly shownin Figure 6, where it is provided with a handle 27, by which the shaftcan be rotated toactuatethe bolt 26. An escutcheon plate 28' is looselymounted on the shaft 25 and this the casing 15 1s "a squared" shaft 25to which is secured at apoint within 1926 Serial No. 120,824.

plate is secured to the inner side of theclosure 17, as shown in Figure7 The bolt 26 is relatively, flat and is mounted eccentrically- .on theshaft 25, its nose or outer end being formed with a rounded and bevelededge portion 26. This portion 26' merges into a sec 0nd rounded edgeportion 26 and at one end of the portion 26 is a fiat edge portion 26.The portion 26 is disposed at right angles to a-second flat portion 26which merges into the rounded nose shown in Figure 2.

portion 26, all as clearly The bolt 26 through the medium of the shaft25is capable of being rotated to occupy any one of the four positionsshown in Fig ures 1 to 4, inclusive, and in any one of these positionsthe bolt is engaged at its edge by a leaf spring 30 disposed within thecasing 15' and having overlapped curved portions 31 against whichthebolt is adapted to hear so that the spring functions to urge the boltin a counter-clockwise direction as when viewed in Figure 2. Itis now tobe notedthat the arrangementof the leaves 31 of the spring is such thatthey havesliding engagement with each other so as to permit of thembeing compressed various degrees, depending upon the position of thebolt 26.

In practice, the bolt 26, when in the positions own in Figure 1,functions as alatch,

the spring 30 engaging the curved edgepor- 'tion 26" and thus urgingthenose 26 out' wardly to the position shownmore clearly in Figure 5, sothat as the closure 17 is moved to Y closed position within the frame20,the beveled edge 26 will engage the flange 23, so as t v to retract thebolt against the tensioniof the springSO until the bolt is movedopposite the slot 24 of the keeper plate when the spring functions toproject the bolt into the slot24. l/Vith'the bolt engaging within thekeeper the closure is latched in. closed position and in order to opentheclosure it is necessary toro- 7 tate'the bolt inwardly to theposition shown so as to remove the bolt from the keeper. 4

Referring now toFigure 3, the bolt 26. is 7 shown in a position in whichit functions .to i

draw the closure into firm engagement with the frame, The bolt is movedto this position by rotating the shaft 25 in a counter- 1 clockwisedirection from the position shown in Figure 1 in which the nose of thebolt is moved downwardlyalong one edge of the slot 24, andbecause of theinclination of such in Figure 2 by manipulation of the handle-2T v edgeit functionsas a 0am to draw the clo sure inwardly of the frame. In thisposition of the bolt, one corner of the latter 18 men gagement with theleaves 31 of the spring,

as clearly shown. in Figure'3, sorthat the spring is ineffective to urgethe bolt in one direction or the other, wherefore the bolt is retainedin this position. The closure may be unlatched by rotating the bolt tothe position shown in Figure 2, and after the closure has been openedthe bolt can be rotated to the position shown in Figure 4;.1 With thebolt 7 i in the position" shown in Figure 4,-the flat edge portion 26engages the leaves 31; of the spring so that the spring functions tourge the nose of the bolt inwardly againsta stop pin 32. The bolt isthusreta-ined'in this position by the spring.

In addition ,to functioningas a latch for retaining a closure in closedposition, in-

vention can also be employed as a night latch for doors, and when. it.is desired 'thatthe night latch be ineffective to latch the door itcanbe moved to the position shown in Figure 4:, in which the conventionaldoor securing 7 means can function in the normal manner,

When my invention is functioning as a latch, the bolt 26 canflbe securedin the fastening position shown in Figure 3 by the provision ofa bolt.33 slidable on the escutcheon plate 28 to engagewithin the recess 34oftheshaft 25, the mounting of thebolt 83 being such changes andmodifications may be made, therein without departing from the spirit ofthe invention and the spirit and scope of the appendedclaims. p i p i Iclaim as my invention:

L 1. A latch comprising a'keeper having a slot therein'inclined withrespect to the vertical, a rotary bolt having its periphery formed toprovide a beveled and rounded portion, another roundedwport-ion spacedfrom the first portion, and two straight portions to forma corner, aspringengaging.

thesecond rounded portion of thebolt to normally urge the bolt intoengagement with the keeper, and a shaftby which the bolt-is I rotated inone'direction to move the bolt out described.

' of engagement withthe keeper and in another direction to move the'bolt intov engagement with one wall of the earn slot for thepurpose 2.A combinedlatch bodied in ciaim 1 wherein thecorner of the cure the boltin said position.

bolt engages thespring when the boltisf in the last mentioned positionto releasably se- 3; A combined latch and fastener embodied in claim 1wherein the shaft is operable to continue the movement of the bolt inand fastener asem whereinthe bolt will befiinefiective tofenga-ge thekeeper andto cause the sprin g to functlon to retain the bolt in saidposition.

itAylatch comprisingja keeper plate 'from, a flat bolt mounted to rotatewith the shaftin the casing and. having its peripheral surfaceprovidedwith abeveled and rounded edgelportio-n, another rounded-ed eportion spacedjfrom the first portion andjangularly disposed edgeportions, forming a corner, spring means engagingthe second rounded edgeportion of the bolt to normallyurge the latter intoengagementwith thekeeper, said spring meansicompri'sing a leaf spring" formed to provide aflat portion enga mg a wallfof the casing and having its en s curved andbenttowards each other to overlap inslidjngfi relation so as to permitvarious degreesof compression of the spring [underthe wiping action ofthe bolt whenrotate'd, and a handle on the shaft fort-m ti thebpoltg 5 Alatch comprising a keeper plateadapted to be secured to a closureframe.and'having slot therein-inclined with respect to the vertical, 2.caslngadapted to be secured to the V closure of thefra'me, a shaftrotatably mount;

ed in the casing and projectin therefrom,a i

1 flat bolt mounted to rotate witi theshaft in the casing and having abeveled and rounded edge portion, anotherrounded edge portion spaced fronthe first portion and angularly disposed edge portionsforming acorner,. spring means engaging the (second rounded; Jedge port on ofthebolttonormaH] urge the latter into engagement with the eeper,

said spring means comprising a leaf spring .formed to provide a flatportion engaging a wall of theclasin' and having-itsends curved andbentytowar s eachother "to overlapjin I sliding relation so as {topermit various de- 'grees .ofcompres'sionof the spring under the rwiping actionof the bolt when rotated, a ban cllefon the shaft forrotating the bolt, an escutc Q p il ef adaptedto be secured totheclosureand havingan opening through which the shaft-extends, said.handle having a notch, and a fastening member'slidably. mounted on I theescutcheon plate Vjandfadapted to 'be en gaged With the notclimWhfi D'fihe bolt occupies the position in whichits second rounded portion isinengagement with the keeperislot,

to thereby fasten the bolt. against movement. f 6. A latchflcomprisingakeeper havinga cam'surfaceand adapted tosbe secured to a closure frame,a rota'ry bolt adapted toy'be mountedon the closureo'f the frame andhair- 1ng abeveled side portion,aroundedperi herport ons' formlng acorner,*means engaging the lastinentioned 'directionto a posit-iontheperiphery'of the boltf ornormally urging al portion and'angularlydisposed perip eral V the bolt to rotate in one direction to-oneposition wherein its beveled portion will engage the keeper duringaclosing movement of the closure to thereby effect a partial rotation ofthe bolt in the other direction against the action of the urging meansso as to move the bolt to a second position to permit latchingengagement of the'bolt with the keeper, means for rotating the boltagainst the action of the urging means and by which the bolt can berotated inthe first mentioned direction to occupy a third positionwherein the bolt will engage the cam surface of the keeper and theurging L means will engage said corner of the bolt so as to beineffective to urge the latter to rotate in either direction, and bywhich the bolt can be further rotated in the first mentioned 7 directionand from its third position to a fourth position wherein the bolt isincapable of engaging the keeper and the urging means will engage one ofthe angularly disposed portions to urge the bolt to rotate in the firstmentioned direction and away from the keeper.v v v 7. A combined-latchand fastener as embodied in claim 6 wherein the spring means constantlyengages the peripheral surface of the bolt and comprises a leaf springhaving overlapping curved portions capable of sliding engagement witheach other to permit va rious degrees of compression of the spring underthe wiping action of the bolt when rotated.

WALTER E. WORTHEN]

